Tuscaloosa panel OKs $1.6 million in contracts, fees

Jimmy Junkin is the Tuscaloosa City Water and Sewer Department Director. He recommended $756,110 for rehabilitation and repairs to the city's aging sewer infrastructure.

By Jason MortonStaff Writer

Published: Wednesday, January 23, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 11:26 p.m.

TUSCALOOSA | A City Council committee on Tuesday approved almost $1.6 million in contract work and engineering fees.

The final expenses won't be approved until next week by the full City Council, but the council's Public Projects Committee signed off on a slate of work that department heads said was necessary for future work or to clear up projects that already have been completed.

Largest among the expenditures was $210,425 for a project to examine the city's sanitary sewer lines via closed-circuit television and $756,110 for rehabilitation and repairs to the city's aging sewer infrastructure.

The latter contract, on the recommendation of Water and Sewer Department Director Jimmy Junkin, is going to REV Construction, a Tuscaloosa-based company incorporated in 2005 by Grady Pugh Jr.

Pugh spent five months in a South Carolina federal prison after admitting in 2007 to a role in the Jefferson County sewer bribery scandal.

His father, Grady “Roland” Pugh Sr., was convicted in 2007 on public corruption charges stemming from the scandal that erupted over the repair and expansion of the Jefferson County sewer system.

Junkin said REV Construction offered the lowest bid for the work, which is required to comply with state and federal mandates regarding the improvement of the city's sanitary sewer system.

Burk-Kleinpeter Inc. was awarded a $298,023 contract for engineering and design work for the improvements of 15th Street and McFarland Boulevard on the recommendation of acting City Engineer David Griffin.

The project is being conducted with the assistance of the Alabama Department of Transportation. As a result, the city will be reimbursed 80 percent of the engineering and design work, once complete, Griffin said.

The estimated $5.4 million project calls for adding several right- and left-turn lanes and upgrading street alignments at the intersection. Officials said the project will require a wider right of way along both sides of McFarland Boulevard, from 13th Street East to beyond 15th Street.

Burk-Kleinpeter also was granted an additional $19,727 for the McFarland Boulevard sidewalks project and $21,392 the Greensboro Avenue streetscape improvement, both of which were completed last year.

These additional payments were for extra engineering work needed as a result of project delays, Griffin said.

For the $3.6 million Greensboro Avenue project, the delays were caused by City Hall requests, Griffin said.

But Griffin said the contractor who performed the $373,000 McFarland Boulevard sidewalk work was responsible for those delays and has since agreed to a $19,800 reduction in order to offset the additional engineering costs.

For improvements to Juanita Drive in Alberta, which also will include upgrades to the roadway as well as the city's water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure, Griffin recommended Almon Associates for a $237,800 contract to handle the design and engineering.

Each recommendation posed by Griffin and Junkin was unanimously adopted by the committee.

<p>TUSCALOOSA | A City Council committee on Tuesday approved almost $1.6 million in contract work and engineering fees.</p><p>The final expenses won't be approved until next week by the full City Council, but the council's Public Projects Committee signed off on a slate of work that department heads said was necessary for future work or to clear up projects that already have been completed.</p><p>Largest among the expenditures was $210,425 for a project to examine the city's sanitary sewer lines via closed-circuit television and $756,110 for rehabilitation and repairs to the city's aging sewer infrastructure.</p><p>The latter contract, on the recommendation of Water and Sewer Department Director Jimmy Junkin, is going to REV Construction, a Tuscaloosa-based company incorporated in 2005 by Grady Pugh Jr. </p><p>Pugh spent five months in a South Carolina federal prison after admitting in 2007 to a role in the Jefferson County sewer bribery scandal.</p><p>His father, Grady “Roland” Pugh Sr., was convicted in 2007 on public corruption charges stemming from the scandal that erupted over the repair and expansion of the Jefferson County sewer system.</p><p>Junkin said REV Construction offered the lowest bid for the work, which is required to comply with state and federal mandates regarding the improvement of the city's sanitary sewer system.</p><p>Burk-Kleinpeter Inc. was awarded a $298,023 contract for engineering and design work for the improvements of 15th Street and McFarland Boulevard on the recommendation of acting City Engineer David Griffin.</p><p>The project is being conducted with the assistance of the Alabama Department of Transportation. As a result, the city will be reimbursed 80 percent of the engineering and design work, once complete, Griffin said.</p><p>The estimated $5.4 million project calls for adding several right- and left-turn lanes and upgrading street alignments at the intersection. Officials said the project will require a wider right of way along both sides of McFarland Boulevard, from 13th Street East to beyond 15th Street.</p><p>Burk-Kleinpeter also was granted an additional $19,727 for the McFarland Boulevard sidewalks project and $21,392 the Greensboro Avenue streetscape improvement, both of which were completed last year.</p><p>These additional payments were for extra engineering work needed as a result of project delays, Griffin said.</p><p>For the $3.6 million Greensboro Avenue project, the delays were caused by City Hall requests, Griffin said.</p><p>But Griffin said the contractor who performed the $373,000 McFarland Boulevard sidewalk work was responsible for those delays and has since agreed to a $19,800 reduction in order to offset the additional engineering costs.</p><p>For improvements to Juanita Drive in Alberta, which also will include upgrades to the roadway as well as the city's water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure, Griffin recommended Almon Associates for a $237,800 contract to handle the design and engineering.</p><p>Each recommendation posed by Griffin and Junkin was unanimously adopted by the committee.</p><p>Reach Jason Morton at jason.morton@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0200.</p>